The Spitfire Grill

ACT 1

Scene 1

SCENE: Montage – Taycheedah Prison/ Trailways Bus/ Town of Gilead/

The Spitfire Grill. February.

AT RISE: Stage to black. A prison bell harshly rings. There are three
sharp metallic clangs and then silence.

PERCY

OUTSIDE IN THE NIGHT

THERE’S A RING AROUND THE MOON.

THE WIND SINGS IN BARBED WIRE,

I’VE LISTENED TO THE TUNE

WHAT SEEMED LIKE FIFTY YEARS,

OR MAYBE IT WAS FIVE.

IT’S HARD TO COUNT THE DAYS

WHEN YOU’RE BURRIED ALIVE.

OUTSIDE OF THESE WALLS

IS A BIGGER WORLD THAN ME.

I HAD NOWHERE TO HIDE

THE LAST TIME I WAS FREE.

I’VE CIRCLED ON THE MAP

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A PLACE TO START AGAIN,

A TOWN CALLED GILEAD,

CLOSE MY EYES AND COUNT TO TEN.

AND IT’S ONE-ONE THOUSAND TWO

THREE-ONE THOUSAND FOUR

FIVE-ONE THOUSAND

SIX-ONE THOUSAND

SEVEN-ONE THOUSAND MORE,

EIGHT-ONE THOUSAND NINE

NINE-ONE THOUSAND TEN.

FIVE YEARS SEEMED LIKE FIFTY

NOW IT’S TIME TO START AGAIN.

RING AROUND THE MOON. BIGGER WORLD THAN ME.

READY OR NOT, HERE I GO,

OLLY OLLY OXEN FREE

OLLY OLLY OXEN FREE.

(Lights reveal SHERIFF JOE SUTTER. He flips though documents in a

file. PERCY crosses to him. Music continues under.)

JOE. So – Perchance Talbott. Perchance. What kinda name is that?

PERCY. Percy’ll do. Warden Halverson said he was gonna call.

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JOE. Yeah, sure, I got a call from the prison. But to be honest, Miss
Talbott, if the bus hadn’t left, I’da put you back on it.

PERCY. Somethin’ wrong with this place?

JOE. Cripes, look around you. Gilead’s a ghost town. There’s nothing
here.

PERCY. The Warden said that –

JOE. I really don’t care what the warden said, Miss Talbott. He’s not
the one freezing his ass off at this bus stop, now is he?

PERCY. No sir.

JOE. So why Gilead? (PERCY is silent.) Miss Talbott, its my job to know
why you’re here…okay?

(PERCY hesitantly reaches into an inside pocket and hands him a

carefully folded piece of paper)

PERCY. Well sir, I… cut this picture from an old travel book someone
donated at the prison.

JOE. (Reads Picture caption.) “Autumn colors along Copper Creek

near Gilead, Wisconsin.” (Hands picture back to her.) You’re a little
late.

PERCY. Creek ain’t dried up has it?

JOE. It’s frozen. And the fall colors are long gone.

PERCY. (Not very sure of herself.) I hope to be here when they come
back.

JOE. Yep, well in the meantime I don’t know what the hell I’m gonna
do with you. (Looks around as if for an answer.) Good, there’s a light
on over at the Spitfire.

PERCY. The Spitfire?

JOE. It’s your best chance for a job, and apart from the local jail it’s
the only guest room in town. Looks like Hannah’s burning the midnight
oil.

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(We see HANNAH FERGUSON, and older woman with a toughness that
belies her age, carrying a lantern and a wrapped-up loaf of bread out
back for the Grill. She sets the bread beside a large stump. For a
Moment, she gazes out toward the deep wood, then turns around to
gather a few sticks of firewood to carry back into the Grill. JOE and
PERCY arrive at the front porch of the Spitfire.)

JOE. (Entering the Grill and heading for the back porch.) Hannah?
Hannah, I saw the light. You still up?

HANNAH. No.

JOE. I didn’t think so. Here, let me help you with that wood. You
know, Hannah, with your bad hip and that, you could use a waitress
this winter.

HANNAH. Another body in here wont cure my hip, Joe.

JOE. You need some help, Hannah. I mean, this firewood’s not going
to walk in by itself. And anyway, you’d be doing me a favor. (To
Percy) Well it looks like you’re all set. Thanks Hannah, I owe you. Miss
Talbott.

HANNAH. Bathroom’s at the end of the hall and there’s plenty of hot
water but not if you dawdle when you’re washing. There’s extra
blankets in the cedar chest. I give you breakfast at six, Work starts at
6:30 sharp. Anything else you need to know will keep till then.

(Without as much as a ‘goodnight,’ HANNAH disappears, leaving

PERCY alone, taking in her surroundings.)

PERCY.

A DARK AND NARROW HALL,

AND THROUGH THE DOOR I FIND

THE SAME CCOLD EMPTY WALLS

I THOUGHT I LEFT BEHIND.

A WINDOW WITHOUT BARS,

LOOKIN OUT ON SOMETHIN’ FREE…

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IN THE TOWN OF GILEAD

CLOSE MY EYES AND COUNT TO THREE

AND THERE’S A RING AROUND THE MOON,

BIGGER WORLD THAN ME,

READY OR NOT, HERE I AM,

OLLY OLLY OXEN

FREE…

(Fade out.)

Scene 3

PERCY. I was gonna turn in, Hannah.

HANNAH. Percy, who exactly was it that taught you how to cook?

PERCY. The devil, judgin’ by the looks.

HANNAH. Shelby knows her way around the kitchen. Get some help.

PERCY. I will. Night then.

(PERCY begins to exit. HANNAH calls to her, very cautiously.)

HANNAH. Percy…? There might be one last thing that – still needs
doing.

PERCY. What’s that?

HANNAH. Get a loaf of bread from the kitchen. Wrap it up in a towel,

and set it out back by the stump.

PERCY. Loaf of bread…?

(Hannah can see the question in Percy’s face, but PERCY senses it’s a

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question HANNAH does not want to answer.)

PERCY. (Silently agreeing to leave the matter alone.) I’ll see to it. Not
to worry. You want me to turn out the light?

HANNAH. No, just do what I told you.

(PERCY goes. Music starts as light fades on HANNAH. PERCY follows

the instructions and places the loaf of bread near the stump, then
gives a start as she senses some kind of sudden movement in the
shadows.)

PERCY. Somebody there?... Somebody there??

(JOE appears out of the darkness.)

JOE. It’s me.

PERCY. (Startled.) What are you doin’?

JOE. I didn’t mean to –

PERCY. What’re you doin’ here? Watchin’ me? Lookin’ at me in the

dark?

JOE. I was only –

PERCY. If you’re thinkin’ I’m one of them sex-starved prison gals or

somethin’, you’re damn wrong.

JOE. What??

PERCY. You just come around for our parole meetin’s! Otherwise you
got no business around me, you hear?!

(PERCY goes into the Grill.)

JOE. (Calling after her.) I came to see if Hannah needed more

firewood! (Shakes his head.) Damn.

(Cross fade)

Scene 4

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SHELBY. … Sorry I’m late.

PERCY. It’s not my business.

SHELBY. (Finding empty container.) Scalloped potatoes finished?

PERCY. Nobody said I couldn’t eat leftovers.

SHELBY. That’s not what I –

PERCY. I was hungry.

SHELBY. You probably haven’t had a decent meal since you went to
pr-…I’m sorry.

PERCY. I haven’t exactly made a secret of where I’ve been, have I?

SHELBY. No, not exactly…

PERCY. (Very carefully. Lowering her defenses a little for the first time
with a women who is still virtually a stranger.) I shouldn’t oughta snap
at you. I know you’ve been savin’ my bacon in here.

SHELBY. I have? (PERCY nods cautiously.) It’s going pretty good,

hunh?

PERCY. You could say that twice and mean it. So, is Hannah really
tryin’ to sell this place?

SHELBY. Oh, I don’t know, she might just give it away. I think the
Spitfire reminds her of better times.

PERCY. I don’t mean to pry…

SHELBY. Oh, no… It’s not that. It’s just… she never talks about it.

PERCY. What?

SHELBY. Hannah had a son. Eli was his name. He was tall, sweet,
strong, and loved by everyone. Gilead’s favorite son… And then the
Vietnam War came.

PERCY. He get drafted?

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SHELBY. No, he enlisted. His dad Jack had been kind of a hero in
World War II… so when it came Eli’s turn to serve, he was raring to go.
The day of his send-off we all put on our Sunday best. After four
years, he was reported missing in action. Hannah never told anyone
what the official story was, but after a few years it was clear Eli wasn’t
coming back. Eli’s dad took it real hard. I guess his heart just gave out
from it. The day after he died, Hannah put the Grill up for sale.

PERCY. My… she must have wanted to get rid of this place real bad.

SHELBY. She still does. She says she “couldn’t unload this grill if it
was the booby prize in the Lion’s Club raffle.”

PERCY. (With a dry laugh.) Raffle?! … Well Why doesn’t she?

SHELBY. Why doesn’t she what?

PERCY. Raffle it off… People do it all the time – ten dollars for a
chance at a TV set or something. To win a whole grill I spose you could
ask even more. You could ask people to send in an essay sayin’ why
they wanted the Spitfire.

SHELBY. An essay?

PERCY. You might maybe get a thousand or more. Then you pick the
one you like best and give the grill to whoever wrote it.

(Blackout)

SHELBY. (Writing out the add.) ‘Small diner, real fixer-upper, two
story house attached. Main street location, good potential.’ How’s
that sound? Awful, hunh?

PERCY. Its okay, I guess. But if I was gonna gamble a hundred dollars,
I’d want it to be someplace, you know…special. Besides, it’s not just
the Spitfire they’d be getting, it’s Gilead too.

SHELBY. There’s nothing really special about Gilead.

PERCY. We just gotta help folks picture it right.

HAVE YOU EVER DREAMED OF A TOWN SO SMALL

THEY ROLL THE SIDEWALK UP?

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WHERE THE WAITRESS SILLS THE GOSSIP

AS SHE FILLS YOUR COFFEE CUP?

WHERE THE POST OFFICE AND BARBERSHOP

ARE IN THE GENERAL STORE,

AND THE ONLY STREET IS MAIN STREET

AND IT RUNS BY YOUR FRONT DOOR?

I don’t know…

SHELBY. No, I like that. Keep going, what else?

(As Percy continues to sing, SHELBY takes notes on her pad.)

PERCY.

DID YOU EVER WANT TO LOSE YOURSELF

AND WANDERWHERE YOU PLEASE?

WELL, YOU CAN WALK A HUNDRED MILES

AND NEVER LEAVE THE TREES.

JUST STEP OUTSIDE YOUR BACK DOOR

WHEN YOU WANT TO RUN AWAY.

THERE’S A CREEK THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW

ON A LAZY SUMMER DAY,

AND WHEN SUMMER TURNS TO AUTUMN

IN THE TOWN WHERE YOU ARE FROM,

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THEN THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME…

AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME,

THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME TO YOU.

AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME,

AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME.

SHELBY. (Excited about the ad, she offers.)

HERE’S A CHANCE TO WIN A LITTLE GRILL

WITH ROOM ENOUGH TO GROW.

PERCY. (Encouraging SHELBY.)

ROOM TO GROW

SHELBY.

THE CUSTOMENRS WHO EAT HERE

ARE PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW.

PERCY.

AND IF YOUR COOKIN’S TERRIBLE

THEY WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN…

BOTH.

DID WE MENTION THAT THE SPITFIRE IS THE ONLY GRILL IN TOWN?

YOU CAN OWN A PIECE OF HEAVEN

WHERE THE HUMMING BIRDS STILL HUM

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AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME…

PERCY. (Offering SHELBY a look at the travel book clipping.)

AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME

SHELBY.

COLORS OF PARADISE COME…

PERCY.

THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME TO YOU

SHELBY.

COME TO YOU…

PERCY.

AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE…

BOTH.

…COME!

AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME.

SHELBY. (Becoming more inspired.)

THE MORNIN’ WHEN THE HICKORIES TURN GOLDEN

PERCY.

WHEN THE HICKORIES TURN GOLD…

SHELBY.

AND SUNLIGHT BURNS THE MAPLES RED AS FIRE

PERCY.

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RED AS FIRE…

BOTH

THE MEADOW GLOWS, THE RIVER BANK IS BLAZIN’

LIKE PARADISE COME DOWN TO LIFE YOU HIGHER!

PERCY.

THEN YOU LOOK OUT FROM YOUR FRONT PORCH

TO SEE THE SUN GO DOWN,

ANOTHER NIGHT HAS FALLEN

ON THE STREET OF YOUR HOMETOWN.

AND ALL AT ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND

THAT YOU ARE HERE TO STAY,

WITH ROOTS SO DEEP INTO THE EARTH

THEY’LL NEVER PULL AWAY.

SHELBY.

NEVER PULL AWAY!

BOTH.

AND WHEN SUMMER TURNS TO AUTUMN

IN THE TOWN WHERE YOU ARE FROM,

THEN THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME…

AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME

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AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME TO YOU

AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME

PERCY.

AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME…

SHELBY.

AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME

PERCY.

AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME…

SHELBY.

AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE…

PERCY.

AND THE…

BOTH.

COLORS OF PAARIDISE COME!

(Blackout)

Scene 7

SCENE: the Grill. Morning. Early May.

JOE enters, PERCY’s parole file under his arm.

JOE. Miss Talbott? I need to see – Oh, hi Shelby.

SHELBY. (Assuming there might be trouble since JOE is at the Grill so

early.) Morning, Joe. I spose you got business…

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JOE. We can take it outside. Miss Talbott? (PERCY and JOE go out to
the back porch.) You didn’t show up for our parole session last night.

PERCY. (Pointing at file.) Look, why don’t you just leave me a list of all
your damn questions and I’ll answer ‘em when I got the time.

JOE. Hey. It’s my job and I gotta do it.

PERCY. Yes, I show up for work every day. Yes, I tell my employer
where I go at night. No, I don’t have contact with anyone I knew in
prison. Yes, I’m getting’ on fine in my job. You can just ask anybody in
town and they’ll be more’n happy to tell you all about what they think
of me.

JOE. Okay, okay. (Closing the file and setting it down.) Forget about
the list. Let’s just talk.

PERCY. Without that list, there ain’t much for us to talk about, is there?

JOE. You’re right… (A beat of silence, then.) We can sit here as long
as you want…just starring at my woods.

PERCY… Your woods?

JOE. It will be when the old man passes on. Every worthless acre from
Hannah’s property all the way to the river.

PERCY. Never seen so many trees before.

JOE. (Referring to the file.) Country girl like you?

PERCY. Do you papers say I was “born in the West Virginia

Mountains?”

JOE. Uh-hunh.

PERCY. Yeah, well, I don’t remember no trees, just coal mines… and
how my daddy’s fingers was always black from tar, even after he
washed ‘em, and how he coughed till it killed him. “Father de-ceased.”
That’s when momma moved us north to the city. Only woods I ever
saw was in magazines and picture books. But this is better than any
picture. It’s beautiful.

JOE. It’s a damn shame that’s all it is.

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BACK BEFORE I WAS BORN,

A FOREST OF OLD TREES

KEPT WATCH OVER THE TOWN.

BUT THE LUMBER MEN CAME,

SWUNG A BIG AXE,

AND CUT THE FOREST DOWN.

AND WHAT GREW BACK

IS NO DAMN GOOD;

JUST SCRUB TREES

AND BRUSH WOOD…

It’s all pretty worthless. Soon as it’s mine, I’ll sell the whole lot and
get the heck outta here.

PERCY. You really want to leave?

JOE.

WHEN YOU LIVE YOUR WHOLE LIFE

IN THE TOWN OF GILEAD,

EV’RY MORNING YOU WAKE UP

TO ANOTHER WASTED DAY.

WHEN I HAVE ENOUGH CASH,

I’M TAKING A TRAIN

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A MILLION MILES AWAY.

I’LL LEAVE BEHIND

THIS ONE DOG TOWN.

THERE’S NOTHING HERE

TO TIE ME DOWN.

OH, A LIFE LIVED IN GILEAD

IS AS WORTHLESS AS THESE TREES…

PERCY. I’ve seen a little worthless things. But these trees… ?

IF THIS WIDE WOODS WAS MINE,

IT THINGA WAS MAKE BELIEVE,

I’D WALK BENEATH THTE BRANCHES,

I’D NEVER WANT TO LEAVE.

IF THIS WIDE WOODS WAS MINE

I’D FIND A STURDY TREE,

I’D SIT MYSELF BESIDE IT

AND DREAMS WOULD COME TO ME.

I’D DREAM MYSELF DEEP ROOTS

TO REACH THE WATER.

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I’D DREAM MYSELF LONG LIMBS

TO TOUCH THE BLUE.

IF THIS WIDE WOODS WAS MINE,

IF THIS WIDE WOODS WAS MINE,

IF THIS WIDE, WIDE WOODS WAS MINE

(Catching herself, PERCY turns to JOE with quiet defiance.)

THAT’S WHAT I’D DO…

(An awkward silence; then.)

Well, I better get inside before Hannah sets the dogs out after me.
Parole session over?

JOE. I think that’ll do for now.

PERCY. Alright then…

(PERCY goes into the Grill. JOE looks out toward the woods.)

JOE.

WHEN I WAS JUST A BOY,

I’D CLIMB THAT MAPLE TREE.

I’D LOOK OUT ON THE WORLD

AS FAR AS I COULD SEE…

(PERCY, now in the kitchen, begins to sing again. Though she and JOE
are each unaware of each other, their voices blend in harmony.)

JOE and PERCY

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I’D DREAM MYSELF DEEP ROOTS

TO REACH THE WATER.

I’D DREAM MYSELF LONG LIMBS

TO TOUCH THE BLUE. OH…

PERCY.

IF THIS WIDE WOODS WAS MINE…

JOE.

WHEN THIS WIDE WOODS IS MINE…

PERCY.

IF THIS WIDE WOODS WAS MINE…

PERCY and JOE.

IF (WHEN) THIS WIDE, WIDE WOODS WAS (IS) MINE…

(On first musical phrase, PERCY looks toward the porch. On second
musical phrase, JOE looks back toward the Grill, then exits in the
opposite direction. Cross fade.)

(PERCY sets the bread down. In the shadows behind PERCY we can
just make out the silhouette of a male figure watching her. As PERCY
makes her way back toward the door, she catches sight of the figure
and stops short with a gasp. In the lantern light, his shadow looms
above PERCY. It is the VISITOR. Although frightened, PERCY quickly
composes herself and stands her ground.)

PERCY. You gonna do something to me, why don’t you just come
ahead and do it?! I’m right here ain’t I? (The VISITOR stands still for a
moment, then holds up a small feather and sets it down on the stump.
He steps back. Okay then. (She picks up the feather.) A feather?
That’s real nice. Thank you. (The VISTITOR stand motionless.) You
scared me, that’s all. I didn’t see you there. Didja get them loaves of
bread I left? I could bring somethin’ different if you want. I know how
it is eating the same thing till you can’t stand the sight of it no more.
Would you like that? (The VISITOR doesn’t answer.) My name’s Percy.

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You got a name? (The VISITOR doesn’t answer.) I think I’ll call you
‘Johnny B,’ okay? Johnny B. How would that do?

HANNAH. (Off.) Percy…

(The VISITOR tenses, then grabs the bread and leaves. PERCY follows
a few steps and calls after him.)

PERCY. Maybe next time we won’t be so rushed and we’ll have more
chance to chat. (PERCY looks again at the VISITOR’s tiny gift.) A
feather.

(Fade out)

ACT II

Scene 2

SCENE: Behind the Grill, night. October.

AT RISE: The sky is star-filled. HANNAH emerges from the back of the
Grill. She looks behind to make sure she is alone. Lantern in hand,
she brings a loaf of bread out to the stump and gazes out at the
woods. She turns back to the Grill. PERCY emerges from inside.

PERCY. There you are, Hannah. (PERCY looks disappointed when she
sees HANNAH has already completed the bread ritual.) Oh… you
already took care of things.

HANNAH. (Nods and crosses back to the Grill.) Yeah.

PERCY. Hannah… them loaves of bread we set out… are we leavin’

‘em for –

HANNAH. These October nights get nippy. Keep yourself warm.

(PERCY watches HANNAH enter the Grill. Then PERCY crosses out to
the stump. She stops, reaches in her pocket, and removes a well-worn
photo. She reads.)

PERCY. “Autumn colors along Copper Creek, near Gilead, Wisconsin.”

(PERCY tucks the photo alongside the bread. As she turns back to the
Grill, JOE emerges from inside, startling her.)

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JOE. Percy-

PERCY. Joe Sutter, you need to wear a bell around your neck.

JOE. Then you’d know I was coming and you might run away.

PERCY. I might.

JOE. And that’d be a shame, cuz you’d never find out about this.

(He holds out a piece of rolled-up paper tied with a piece of ribbon.)

PERCY. What is it?

JOE. Ten acres.

PERCY. Looks like a piece o’ paper to me.

JOE. My old man sat me down last night. He’s so afraid I’ll hop that
train outta town that he cut me in on a little of the family land.

PERCY. Just what you always wanted.

JOE. He let me choose whatever parcel I liked. So I picked ten acres

right along Copper Creek, close enough from here you could throw a
stone and hit it.

PERCY. Your worthless woods…

JOE. A corner of it anyway.

PERCY. So you gonna sell it and move on like you said?

JOE.

I’M JUST A FOOL WHO COULDN’T SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES,

THAT IS, UNTTIL THE DAY YOU CAME ALONG.

AND NOW THAT OUTBOUND TRAIN HAS ONE LESS PASSENGER.

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IT’S HERE IN THIS WIDE WOODS THAT I BELONG.

You know, there’s a clearing where a fella could put up a little house,
with trees all around it. I was hoping you could help me decide where
to put the front porch.

PERCY. Front of the house might be good.

JOE. That’s why I need your help.

THERE’S THINGS THEY NEVER TEACH YOU IN A COUNTRY SCHOOL.

THERE’S THINGS YOU GOTTA FIND OUT FOR YOUR OWN.

I MAY BE SLOW, BUT EVEN SO I FINALLY KNOW

THAT I DON’T WANT TO LIVE MY LIFE ALONE.

I’M JUST A FOOL WHO COULDN’T SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES,

THAT IT UNTIL THE DAY YOU CAME ALONG.

AND NOW THAT OUTBOUND TRAIN HAS ONE LESS PASSENGER.

IT’S HERE IN THIS WIDE WOODS THAT WE BELONG.

IT’S HERE IN THIS WIDE WOODS THAT WE -

PERCY. (Cutting him off.) Joe! Joe, you don’t wanna be marryin’ me

JOE. Why not? I’m already used to your cooking.

PERCY. Yu gonna want children?

JOE. Hell, yeah. As many as you’re up for.

PERCY. I can’t have children no more.

JOE. Well, then we wont, or…

(His words trail off.)

PERCY. Joe, don’t. Please…

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JOE. Will you at least think about it?

SHELBY. (As she comes out onto the porch.) Percy, so you know
where Hannah put the – Oh, I’m sorry…

JOE. That’s okay. I guess we were just about finished here anyway.
Ain’t that right? (No response from PERCY.) Night, then.

(JOE exits through the Grill.)

SHELBY. Percy, are you okay out here?

PERCY. He wants me to marry him.

SHELBY. Percy…

PERCY. I said no. The man deserves better than me.

SHELBY. I’m not so sure there is better than you.

PERCY. Shelby. You don’t know me.

SHELBY. I know that you’re my friend.

PERCY. Yeah, well do you know why I got locked up for five years?
(Looks right at SHELBY.) I killed somebody.

SHELBY. Who?

PERCY. My stepfather. Mason Talbott. I was sixteen when he got me

pregnant.

SHELBY. Percy…

PERCY. My Momma just slapped me and told me to shut up about it.

But you know what? I found myself lovin’ that little life inside me.
Feelin’ it grow. I got to callin’ it Johnny B. After that song. Johnny B,
Goode. And I swore to God that I was going to protect that baby no
matter what. But Mason, he got drunk and took to me with his fists so
bad that… my baby – And all I could think was how I hadn’t kept my
promise. Mason musta been afraid of the police or somethin’ ‘cuz he
pulled me outa the hospital and dumped me in the back of his car. We
ended up at a motel somewhere. Mason had a bottle and he was into
it real good. He was sayin’ how he was right that my baby died. I

22
didn’t say nothin’. But later on, when he was layin’ there on the bed all
passed out, I took out his straight razor.

(Spent, PERCY sits in the porch rocking chair, motionless and almost

numb.)

SHELBY. Percy…

Scene 4

SCENE: The Grill/ the woods, just before dawn, next morning.
AT RISE: As the last few stars lose their light, PERCY remains sleeping
on the porch rocker.
THE VISITOR steals in. Reaching for the loaf of bread at the stump,
THE VISITOR finds the magazine picture PERCY has left for him. At the
same moment, PERCY stirs and awakens.

PERCY. ‘Johnny B,’ that you? … Eli? (THE VISITOR slowly stands
straight up, facing away from PERCY. He starts to leave) Eli, where you
goin’? Eli? (PERCY is dimly seen following ELI down a dark wooded
path. The wooded path ends. PERCY stands facing the horizon on the
brink of daylight. The first ray of sunrise lights her face.) Oh Eli…Eli,
it’s beautiful. (ELI remains behind PERCY. Intensely aware of his
presence, but knowing she dare not turn to look at him, her eyes
remain transfixed before her. )

MORNIN’ LIGHT, MORNIN’ LIGHT…

PARADISE CAME DOWN LAST NIGHT…

ALL IT’S COLORS BURNIN’ BRIGHT…

BURNIN’ BRIGHT…

THERE’S DARKNESS IN ME

AS DEEP AS THE VALLEY,

AND THINGS THAT I DONE

I CAN NEVER REPAY.

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THE DAYS I REGRET

ARE TOO MANY FOR COUNTIN’.

THERE’S SINS RIVER WATER

WILL NOT WAS AWAY.

BUT IF YOU CAN TURN THIS WHOLE VALLEY TO GOLDEN,

AND BURN TILL THE COLORS OF PARADISE SHINE,

THEN MAYBE YOUR BRIGHT MORNIN’ LIGHT CAN DISCOVER

A DIAMOND OF HOPE IN THIS DARK HEART OF MINS.

MORNIN’ LIGHT

SHINE ON ME,

SHINE…

FIND A DIAMOND OF HOPE

IN THIS DARK HEART OF MINE.

I AIN’T ASK FOR MUCH

IN THIS LIFE I’VE BEEN LIVIN’.

I LEARNED EARLY ON

THAT I’M HERE ALL ALONE.

NO MATTER HOW CLOSE

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I STAND TO THE FIRE,

IT STILL MAKES ME SHIVER

AND CHILL TO THE BONE.

BUT IF YOU CAN TURN THIS WHOLE VALLEY TO GOLDEN,

AND BURN TILL THE COLORS OF PARADISE SHINE,

THEN MAYBE YOUR BRIGHT MORNING’ LIGHT CAN UNCOVER

AN AMBER OF HEAT IN THIS COLD HEART OF MINE.

MORNIN’ LIGHT,

SHINE ON ME,

SHINE.

FIND AN EMBER OF HEAT IN THE COLD HEART OF MINE.

MORNIN’ LIGHT,

SHINE ON ME,

SHINE.

MORNIN’ LIGHT,

SHINE ON ME,

SHINE.

SHINE ON ME.

SHINE ON ME.

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SHINE!

SHINE ON ME.

SHINE ON ME.

SHINE!

SHINE!

SHINE!!

SHINE!!!

(ELI slowly comes forward, next to PRECY, and kneels. PERCY smiles, takes a deep
breath, and sings with quiet self-assurance and deep contentment.)

THERE’S A FLICKER OF LIGHT,

THERE’S AN AMBER OF HEAT,

THERE’S A DIAMOND OF HOPE

IN THIS GOOD HEART OF MINE.

(Fade out.)

PERCY. Say Joe… I keep thinkin’ about the other night. I just wanna tell ya that…

(She hesitates)

JOE. You don’t have to tell me. I uh… I know a little something about wild birds.

PERCY. Yeah? (JOE nods.) Well I don’t know nothin’ about front porches, but I got

some ideas for that house o’ yours.

JOE. Yeah?

PERCY. Maybe you could stop by a little later.

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JOE. Alright, Miss Talbott.

PERCY. Percy’ll do. (She shares a smile with JOE. JOE exits.)

(HANNAH enters)

PERCY. Hannah! We got all our finalists here! ‘Cept for yours.

SHELBY. Should we read them out loud to you, Hannah?

HANNAH. That won’t be necessary. I’m sending all the money back.

PERCY. Why? You gonna keep the Spitfire?

HANNAH. Heck no. I’ll be too busy to run a grill while I’m taking care of my son.

SHELBY. Then why are you calling off the raffle?

PERCY. You couldn’t pick an essay?

HANNAH. Oh, I picked a winner. The problem is, I picked an essay that doesn’t qualify
for the contest.

PERCY. What’re you going on about?

HANNAH. (Opens up a folded newspaper and sings.)

WHEN YOU LOOK OUT FROM YOUR FRONT PORCH

TO SEE THE SUN GO DOWN

ANOTHER NIGHT HAS FALLEN

ON THE STREET OF YOUR HOMETOWN.

SHELBY. That’s our ad!

HANNAH. Those were the best words written about the Grill. And I’ll be dipped if I’m
going to give the Spitfire to the second best. Here’s the keys. I’ve never used them, not
even sure if they work. But they’re yours.

PERCY. Ours?!

HANNAH. Yours. This old grill may not be much, but it’s home. That’s the least I can
give back to my girls.

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PERCY.

AND ALL AT ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND

THAT YOU ARE HERE TO STAY.

SHELBY.

YOU ARE HERE TO STAY,

SHELBY AND PERCY.

WITH ROOTS SO DEEP INTO THE EARTH,

THEY’LL NEVER PULL AWAY!

SHELBY AND HANNAH.

NEVER PULL AWAY!

SHELBY, PERCY AND HANNAH

AND WHEN SUMMER TURNS TO AUTUMN

IN THE WOODS WHERE YOU ARE FROM,

TEN THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME.

AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME.

AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME!

THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME TO YOU!

AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME!

PERCY.

AND THE COLORS OF PARADISE COME!

SHELBY.

AND THE COLORS OF PARADIES –

PERCY AND HANNAH

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AND THE-

SHELBY, PERCY and HANNAH.

COLORS OF PARADISE COME!

CURTAIN

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